The Great Commandment & the Great Commission

Medical Ambassadors International and Global CHE Network CHE TOT 1, Vision Seminar Date: 11/02, revised 12/19

THE GREAT COMMANDMENT & THE GREAT COMMISSION

Objectives After working through this lesson participants will: 1. See that Jesus came to meet the needs of the whole person, not just one aspect of his being. 2. Understand that Jesus commands his followers to meet the needs of the whole person. 3. Determine to be obedient to the commands of Christ by aiming their lives and ministries to meet the needs of the whole person.

Overview for This is the basis for an integrated approach to development. If the participants do facilitators not see this, they may have a difficult time with other sessions later. This lesson is an alternative to the lesson on The Gospel of the Kingdom.

Materials  Poster Size sheets of paper, marking pens, and masking tape  Great Commandment and Great Commission Role Play  Great Commandment and Great Commission Review  Bible

Class members should look up the scripture references below:

Luke 4:16-21 Luke 10:27 Matthew 28:18-20 Matthew 25:35-46 Luke 9:1,2 & 10:1,8,9

Legend:

Role Play Facilitator Group Discussion Question for Group Handouts/Instructions

LESSON 1 HOUR

Use the attached Great Commandment and Great Commission role play.

SHOWD What did you See? What was Happening? Does this happen in Our place? Why does this happen? QUESTIONS What will we Do about it?

I. Group Activity (10 min) Give the following instructions to the group: A. Usually pastors and evangelists deal with spiritual work and other people with another type of work. Most people do not equally combine spiritual work with other types of work We are going to make a “human continuum” and arrange ourselves in a line across the room according to the nature of our work. 2 THE GREAT COMMANDMENT & THE GREAT COMMISSION

1. If your primary work is to care for the physical, emotional, or intellectual needs of people, then stand on the right side of the room. 2. If your primary work is to care for the spiritual needs of people, then take your place on the left side of the room. 3. If your primary work is equally applied between the physical (including intellectual and emotional) and spiritual, then take your place somewhere in the middle of the room. B. While participants are all standing in their chosen locations, ask for volunteers to share why they chose to stand where they are standing.

II. Jesus’ Ministry - Luke 4:16-21 (10 min) Jesus came to minister to the whole person. Read Luke 4:16-21 with the group, and discuss the following questions: A. At what point in Jesus’ ministry did this interaction take place? 1. At the beginning of his public ministry, after being tempted in the wilderness for forty days. B. Where did this take place? 1. In his hometown of Nazareth at the synagogue. C. Why do you think Jesus said these things at the start of his public ministry? 1. Jesus was stating His purpose, or mission, and defining the nature of His work. D. What do the Scriptures say about why Jesus came? 1. To preach the gospel to the poor. (economically disadvantaged). 2. To proclaim release to captives (socially and politically disadvantaged). 3. To give sight to the blind (physically disadvantaged). E. Read the following quote: “Jesus came with concern for every area of our lives. His mission was to restore wholeness to a lost and broken world. He would address not only spiritual concerns, but physical, social, intellectual, and emotional concerns as well.”

III. Jesus’ Commands (15 min) With the large group, read the following passages and discuss the questions below. A. Luke 10:27. What parts of our lives are included in the word “all”? We are to love God with our whole being: Luke 10:27 1. Heart – Emotion 2. Soul – Spiritual 3. Mind – Intellect 4. Strength – Physical B. Matthew 28:18-20. What items are described by words that mean “all”? “All” in Matthew 28:18-20 describes: 1. All authority belongs to Jesus. 2. All (every) nations (peoples) are to be discipled. 3. All (everything) Jesus commanded is to be obeyed. (We are to help others do what we are doing in following Christ. AKA – make disciples) 4. Promise – Jesus is with us at all times (always), even when we fail. C. Which of the three commands (the two great commandments and the great commission) are optional? 1. None of them. All three commands are from God and are given with equal authority. 2. In obeying the command of Christ to make disciples, we must teach love for God and neighbor.

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IV. Read Matthew 25:35-46 & Discuss (5 min) Read Matthew 25:35-46 with the group and discuss the following. A. What is the basis of Jesus’ judgment in these verses? 1. Jesus based his judgment on how people responded to the needs of others. B. What kinds of needs were met by those who are judged to be righteous? 1. Hunger – Fed 2. Thirst – Given drink 3. Homelessness – Hospitality 4. Nakedness – Clothed 5. Sickness – Cared for 6. Imprisonment – Visited C. Read the quote here: “’Jesus did not say, ‘I was hungry and you preached to me,’ or ‘I was thirsty and you preached to me’. He expects his followers to respond to people according to their need. Being responsive to the needs of others, and obedient to both the great commandment and the great commission, will take very great commitment.”

V. Jesus Sends Out His Disciples (5 min) A. Read Luke 9:1,2 & 10:1,8,9. Who did Jesus send out, and what did he send them to do? 1. He sent out 12 to heal, preach, and cast out demons, and he sent out 72 to heal and preach. B. What should we do as disciples of Jesus in today’s world? 1. Do the same thing, aiding the whole person.

VI. Conclusion: Ask the group the following questions (5 min) A. If Jesus joined us at the start of this lesson, in our “human continuum” line across the room, where would he stand? 1. He would have stood in the middle of the room. B. What does this teach us about the kind of ministry we should have? 1. We need to take our place with Jesus in the middle of the room and minister to people according to their need. Our ministry should be wholistic. We need to care about every aspect of a person’s life.

VII. Reflection (10 min): Ask the group to consider the following questions and evaluate whether or not there is balance in their lives and ministries. A. When was the last time you led another person to faith in Christ? B. When was the last time you helped a new believer on the road to spiritual maturity? C. When was the last time you helped another person to become a disciple of Christ? D. When was the last time you helped to meet a neighbor’s physical need or problem? E. When was the last time you helped someone to grow in such a way that they can do for someone else what you have done for them? F. Read the quote here: “Community Health Evangelism is a wholistic ministry strategy that will enable you to bring balance to your ministry by being responsive to the needs of people in the communities you serve. This seminar is aimed at equipping people to minister to the whole need of the individual, and to be obedient to both the great commandment and the great commission.” G. “Let’s pray about how we can best obey all the commands of Jesus.” H. Give out The Great Commandment & the Great Commission Review.

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ATTITUDE: Facilitators are committed to meeting the needs of the whole person: physical, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual.

SKILL: Participants are able to identify ministries that are truly wholistic, addressing the physical, social, mental, and spiritual needs of people.

EVALUATION: Facilitators will know that participants have learned the content of this lesson when they are involved doing wholistic ministry.

This lesson is used in: Social – Adoption; Spiritual – Discipleship; Program Trainings TOT I, HIV TOT, Urban TOT; Family-Based CHE TOT I, Vision – Mobilizing the Church, Extra; Business and NGO Development – Kingdom Business – Vision

4 THE GREAT COMMANDMENT & THE GREAT COMMISSION Role Play

Role Play (5 min): Two people are arguing. 1st The only thing that we should be concerned with as Christians is winning people to Christ. Matthew 28:18-20 clearly tells us that. 2nd You are wrong. The Bible tells us we should be concerned about the physical needs of people as well as their spiritual needs. Matthew 25:35-40 says that when we help a person physically, we are ministering to Jesus. What about the teaching of the Good Samaritan? 1st What good is it to save a man’s life physically if he is going to spend eternity in hell? 2nd How can a man hear the Gospel when the cries of his physical needs are so loud?

----SHOWD questions---- S = What do you See? H = What is Happening? O = Does this happen in Our place? W = Why does this happen? D = What will we Do about it?

THE GREAT COMMANDMENT & THE GREAT COMMISSION Role Play

----SHOWD questions---- S = What do you See? H = What is Happening? O = Does this happen in Our place? W = Why does this happen? D = What will we Do about it? THE GREAT COMMANDMENT & GREAT COMMISSION REVIEW

1. Jesus’ ministry: “Jesus came with concern for every area of our lives. His mission was to restore wholeness to a lost and broken world. He would address not only spiritual concerns, but physical, social, intellectual, and emotional concerns as well.”

2. What is the great commandment? See Luke 10:27.

3. What is the great commission? See Matthew 28:18-20.

4. Who should obey the great commandment and the great commission? How does that apply to you?

5. How can we respond to the needs of others? See Matthew 25:35-46.

6. What did Jesus send out his disciples to do? See Luke 9:1,2 and Luke 10:1,8,9. What should we do?

7. How can you obey the commands of Jesus?